I'm new an looking for help!

Hi can any of you lovely people help me as you all seem to know your stuff. I have a Freelander 2ltr Diesel with a very stomach churningly loud noise (which occured yesterday). Its been making a strange grinding noise for a couple of months. The noise seems to eminate for the middle of the floor. Its gone from a mild whirring grinding noise to a full blown sqealing/whirring/grinding sound. It happens when the car is moving (anything over 10mph/couple of minutes). I don't think it's the gearbox I'm thinking along the lines of maybe the drive shaft as it definately sounds ratational. The noise was picked up on an MOT and the garage said it could be a wheel bearing but the noise is directly in the middle of the car. My husbands been underneath and the transmission oil was empty but only took 500mls to replace the car seems to be quieter apart from this horendous noise. I've read other comments but nothing really seems to relate. All I know is that it seems mega expensive but my old mans willing to give anything a go so long as it's got a haynes manual. Any advice would be brilliant. Thanks.

have yu checked the VCU and its bearings?

No but can do in the morning. I'll let you know. Thanks for the heads up.

wont do any harm to remove the VCU and propshaft - see if it is quieter.